Memory Of A Dear Place

07. Oliver Wood

December, 1995

I wake up with a great feeling today. Christmas break is around the corner, which means all of the Slytherins will be going home and I have the whole house to myself. My thoughts go over the everything that happened lately. 

Things have been getting a lot better the past few weeks since I started to hang out with Oliver. I also talked to Hermione again and we have been studying together from time to time. Harry and Ron are still a little bit skeptical about her hanging out with me again, but it's okay. It's been great fun and it makes it so much easier to avoid the Slytherins.

I do notice that both Hermione and Oliver are a cautious about seeing me. Maybe they're scared that Draco will come after them. We are all aware of the fact that he and his friends like to ruin stuff for me in ways you don't expect. 

It happened about a week ago. Both Oliver and I admitted to each other that we felt more than just a friendship and he decided to take me on a little dinner date. He promised to take care of everything, the only thing I had to do was dress up nicely and try to sneak into de Gryffindors common room to meet up with him.

As soon as I was about to leave I was locked inside of my room and wasn't able to open it with either force or magic. Of course Oliver thought I stood him up and it took me a few very lonely days to make him believe me. 

I can't even start about Draco. One day he purposely sits down next to me in class, touching my thigh with his fingertips, making me melt like fucking chocolate. The other day he acts like I don't exist. 

Our rehearsals haven't been as interesting as the first one. He just annoys the shit out of me by stalling and acting like he doesn't understand just to make me mad. 

I do not understand him. I never have. Honestly it makes me fucking crazy wondering how he thinks. How he makes his choices. 

I step out of my bed with a sigh, leaving my warm cozy blankets behind. I slept in a little because it's Saturday. Oliver and I have been doing a lot of fun stuff during the weekend, but today we decided to get some work done in the library, so that we don't have anything to do during Christmas break.

I put on some high waisted jeans and a black hoodie. I also put my hair in a nice ponytail and put on some natural make-up to fix my face. Then I put on my sneakers and start to make my way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

A lot of students are already enjoying their breakfast and as I enter the Great Hall a smell of freshly baked bread and croissants enters my nose.

I walk past the older Slytherins, including Draco and his group, over to the younger Slytherins. I can feel their eyes burning in my back. 

And there it is. Just when I thought I was walking past them without any trouble, a firm hand grabs my butt, making me turn around to find Blaise with a big smirk on his face. "Nice jeans Bella...'' he says referring to how my butt looks in them as they all start laughing. 

"Fucking blood traitor..." Draco scoffs lowly as his angry eyes look at Blaise. I decide to roll my eyes and ignore them as I walk further to the other end of the table.

The younger Slytherins are usually pretty nice if the older ones aren't around. And by younger I especially mean the first year students. There's actually a few nice ones if you look for them. 

Before I sit down I look across the hall towards the Gryffindor table and see if I can find Oliver. As our eyes meet he smiles and waves at me and I wave back. I then take my seat and start to put things on my plate.

''Good morning Bella!'' a young girls voice says. Two big brown eyes look up at me. "Hi...'' I smile as I look at the gorgeous young girl with the softest, wavy brown hair. ''What's your name?'' I ask wondering how she knows my name.